The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has finally released the Annual Player Retainership Contracts for Team India (Senior Men) for the 2024–25 season. As always, this announcement has generated buzz among fans and experts. While some players retained their place, others received promotions, and a few big names were shockingly left out. Interestingly, the list also features a fresh wave of young talents who are being backed by the board.
Let’s take a deep dive into this year’s contract list, understand the categories, and discuss all the big talking points.
What Are BCCI Central Contracts?
These are annual retainership contracts awarded by the BCCI to Indian cricketers based on their performances, consistency, and potential. The contracts are divided into four grades:
- Grade A+: ₹7 crore
- Grade A: ₹5 crore
- Grade B: ₹3 crore
- Grade C: ₹1 crore
Players in higher grades are expected to play across all three formats and contribute consistently to the team.
Grade A+ (4 Players)
This is the elite category reserved for the top-performing all-format players. There is no change in this list compared to last year.
- Rohit Sharma
- Virat Kohli
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Ravindra Jadeja
Grade A (6 Players)
- Mohammed Siraj
- KL Rahul
- Shubman Gill
- Hardik Pandya
- Mohammed Shami
- Rishabh Pant
Key Highlights:
- Rishabh Pant has been promoted from Grade B to A.
- Mohammed Siraj, Gill, and Hardik Pandya retain their place from last year.
- R Ashwin, who was in this category last year, has been completely dropped from the list.
Grade B (5 Players)
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Axar Patel
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Shreyas Iyer
Key Highlights:
- Shreyas Iyer is a new entry in this grade.
- Rishabh Pant has moved up to Grade A.
Grade C (20 Players)
- Rinku Singh
- Tilak Varma
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Shivam Dube
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Washington Sundar
- Mukesh Kumar
- Sanju Samson
- Arshdeep Singh
- Prasidh Krishna
- Rajat Patidar
- Dhruv Jurel
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Ishan Kishan
- Abhishek Sharma
- Akash Deep
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Harshit Rana
Key Highlights:
- New entries include Ishan Kishan, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and Abhishek Sharma.
- Fresh faces like Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, and Harshit Rana make their debut.
- Sanju Samson retains his place, while Rinku, Tilak, and Ruturaj continue to be backed.
Who Missed Out This Year?
A few big names are missing from this year’s contracts:
- R Ashwin – Out of the list after years of consistent appearances.
- Shardul Thakur – Was part of Grade C last year, not included this time.
- Jitesh Sharma, KS Bharat, Avesh Khan – All three have lost their Grade C status.
Fresh Blood in the System
The BCCI is clearly focusing on the future. New and young players like Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abhishek Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, and Dhruv Jurel have shown promise in domestic circuits and IPL. Their inclusion shows that the board is preparing for the next generation of Indian cricket.
Final Thoughts: Changing Dynamics of Indian Cricket
This year’s central contracts reflect a balanced approach. While the board continues to back senior players like Rohit, Virat, and Jadeja, it is also investing in youth to secure the future. However, the exclusion of veterans like Ashwin is a reminder that performance, fitness, and consistency are always under the spotlight.
Overall, this contract list gives a strong signal that the transition phase in Indian cricket is already underway — and the bench strength is looking promising.
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BCCI has announced the 2024–25 annual central contracts for Team India. Find out who got promoted, who made their debut, and which big names were left out.